Making a training plan: a short guide for beginners

Lots of people struggle to make a training plan for themselves. There are numerous exercises and training methods and it's very easy to get lost in them when you're a newbie. We'll try to help you out and give you some advantage in your first steps into gaining mass.

First, let's talk about two most common mistakes.

The real beginners amongst us should take their time to read articles, watch videos and listen to experienced athletes about training programs and the execution of exercises. The most common mistakes beginners normally make are the following:

• Bad form

• Too much weight

The most important thing to know, before doing an exercise, is how to do it correctly! When an exercise is performed with bad form the chances to get injured increase strongly. That’s why the first phase of your training process should involve constant learning.

“Remember: Form above all, gains will follow!"

Second, when beginners hit the gym they sometimes forget about their main goal and train their ego instead. Ego lifting is the phenomena which involves lifting way too heavy weights without having any positive effect on the body. This also increases the risk of getting injured fast and for a long time. The weight you use should always be used with controlled motion, that's the only way you will 'attack' the right muscle group and make it grow.

Now, if muscle growth is your goal, you should focus on the feeling of the muscle. You should really feel the muscle work. This is called muscle-mind connection. In the beginners phase, this will be harder to maintain. So for muscle growth, you shouldn't focus on on taking big weights and just moving them from point A to point B. Take lighter weights and train the muscle-mind connection. Let the muscles, you are training at this moment, work! The rests between your sets should never be more than 90 seconds. For more advanced athletes a maximum os 60 seconds is preferred.

If gaining power is the main goal, then here again a good form and light weights will do at this beginners stadium. Here, as you go heavier, you should take more time to recover in between sets. Rest between 3 to 5 minutes.

Remember: Form above all, gains will follow!

Third, let's discuss the issue of the training split.

For beginners, we suggest a 2 or 3-day training split which in the first month involves full body training. This is the best way to get your body used to physical exercises and give it a boost to grow in the later phase. After 4 weeks, you can start with a 3-day training split, training different muscle groups on different days. Within 4 months compound exercises should be added to the routine to improve overall strength. Note that once you’re in a more advanced stage, you should change your training routine more often and take into account new exercises.

We wish you gains!